Program supports state‘s initiative to increase access to higher education

HILO, Hawaiʻi — At its monthly meeting held today at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, the UH Board of Regents (BOR) approved the establishment of the State of Hawaiʻi B Plus Scholarship program. The program, established by the State Legislature during the last legislative session, is intended to continue the commitment of the state to increase access to higher education and provide the state with a more educated workforce.

"The workforce of the future will need better training and more skills than ever before and students desiring to acquire these skills often need help with finances," said Interim President David McClain. "This new program will help to meet that need."

The program, when implemented, will help bridge the gap between the cost of UH tuition and the resources available to local students from low-income families. Approximately a half-million is required to fund the B Plus Scholarship program in the fiscal year 2005-2006. The sum increases to $1 million in the 2006-2007 fiscal year.

Scholarships will be available to any Hawaiʻi resident applying to any campus within the university system provided that the individual has graduated from a Hawaii public high school with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and is considered low income according to the state of Hawaiʻi department of education‘s guidelines.